1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character processing method and a character processing apparatus that analyze data supplied from a host apparatus to generate a character pattern while referring to scalable font data.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, an apparatus of the foregoing type prints scalable fonts in such a manner that information relating to an attribute of the fonts transmitted from a host computer is analyzed and the font is developed into an actual pattern in accordance with the result of the analysis. The pattern once developed is stored in a cache memory or the like, and the developed pattern is used when the same print information is transmitted at the next operation so that the time taken to complete the printing process can be shortened.
However, the conventional structure is arranged in such a manner that all character patterns, that are not used frequently, are stored. Further, a character that is used for the first time is processed in such a manner that data is received from the host computer and the character is developed into a pattern at the time of processing the data. Therefore, the effect of shortening the time taken to complete the printing operation can be obtained the second time the character is received. On the contrary, there arise problems in that the data processing efficiency deteriorates and that the time taken to complete the operation of printing the scalable font cannot be shortened efficiently.